“You know I tried to run away once,” I didn’t know why I was telling them everything but it seemed like that’s what they wanted; and I wanted her to stop crying, “I always forget why, now, but I did. Then I tried to kill myself another time-”

Another burst of tears came from the woman standing behind Mr. Givard. I don’t know who she is but I don’t like tears. The man standing next to her looks sick. He also looks angry and keeps looking at me like that. Why? Mr. Givard never cried when I talked to him. He seemed pleased that I told him the bits that I did. I was confused.

“Why are you crying?” I got up and walked over to the woman. “I don’t like it when people cry.” She looked at my earnest face and cried harder. I was even more confused than earlier. “It all happened in the past,” I grinned at my use of the word ‘past’. It was a new word Mr. Givard taught me. “I’m better now. I’m happy.”

Why was she still crying? Mr. Givard turned to me and gravely asked, “Why weren’t you happy?”